Ice-Cold (Gruvia Fairy Tail Fanfic)

Chapter 7: Change in Weather

Alright, let's move on with Chapter 7, titled Change in Weather! I'm not gonna take another, what was it, four months to update this so I said what better time than the present!

Obviously, I don't own Fairy Tail, no questions asked. 

Gray's body felt completely numb. It was as if his body was floating in a sea of nothingness. It was so odd. However, he wasn't particularly conscious right now to even care. Gray slowly felt life come back to him, what little was left to return, and fought to open his eyes. His whole body was in pain, as if spears were jabbing at him everywhere relentlessly. When he tried to open his eyes, he found that he had to close them right back. It took all of his strength, but he finally managed to sit up, not without a few agonizing grunts here and there in the process.

He panted hard. He was out for enough time for his memories not to return to him for a few minutes. As Gray hung his head, he found it easier to open his eyes and did. As he did, it's like his common sense returned. He now could see what was causing the unrelenting, piercing pain.

Rain...

It was raining so hard it was almost like standing in a sea. A raging one.

He'd never witnessed it rain this hard before, it was crazy! As Gray soaked in the water, letting the blows come, he could feel an odd sensation from this rain that was strangely familiar. How could one be familiar with rain?! But Gray could connect with it. It then hit him.

This rain had some kind of intense emotion, one so passionate, it could be shown right through. It was obvious. This rain was angry. No matter how crazy that sounded, it was.

But there was only one kind of rain that held such emotions. Her name brought back all the guilty memories Gray temporarily lost... but didn't want to regain.

As Gray reminisced everything he his stupid mouth had screamed at to the poor girl, he found anger rise within him.

He gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and punched the ground beneath him so hard that he felt his knuckles painfully crack. He bit back a scream. He kept punching the ground while cursing himself for being such an idiot.

When even he knew his knuckles couldn't handle much torture, he stopped. Stopped while his tears flowed. In desperation, Gray forced his head up, ignoring the pain shooting through him. He screamed into the storming night as loud as he could. "JUVIAAAA!!!!!" he screamed so loud, hoping that wherever she was, she could hear him, run back to him, he could apologize, and they could go home happily ever after.

But no. That wasn't happening. Not by a long shot. Gray's hollering were only good for drowning in the insanely heavy rain. It was barely audible. Gray gave up. It sickened him to admit those ugly words. 'He' and 'gave' and 'up.' It was impossible. Fairy Tail wizards never gave up! Wasn't that their motto? Well, thinking that made Gray feel more rotten than he already did. With that clarified, he decided to head back to the client's house. By some miracle, the boy was able to distinguish the town among the pouring waters. Honestly, he couldn't tell if he was walking or swimming there.

After a good sixteen minutes of 'blissful strolling,' he arrived at the house. Without even bothering to knock, he opened the door and entered. He suddenly jolted as he walked in. Getting accustomed to the mad rain outside, walking into a warm dry environment was such a shock. Not that he was complaining. Gray's thoughts were interrupted with a man's voice.

"Oh my! Look at you, boy! You're covered in bruises head to toe!"

Gray turned his gaze to meet with his client's horrified one. "Clarissa, come quick!" Mr. Howard called out to his wife. Said woman came immediately. She gasped in horror at the sight of Gray. She ran over to him. "You poor thing! Come with me, let's get you all cleaned up!" she didn't give Gray a chance to answer as she was already dragging him to God-knows-where. Gray found himself in a bathroom being patched up by two women. One was Clarissa, he knew, but he'd never seen the other much younger one. He was too depressed to care. That being said, he didn't notice the sparkling look in her eye as she worked on injures around his abs. After what seemed like forever, both women got up and admired their handiwork. "Good as new!" Clarissa exclaimed with relief. "Are you feeling better?" Gray tersely nodded. He didn't feel any better, really. "That's so good to hear. Once you've rested briefly, come to the dining room. I'm preparing a delightful dinner!"

Clarissa left, but the other girl stayed, her honey-brown eyes glued to Gray's form. Gray slowly looked up to meet with with her expression. He raised an eyebrow. "What's with that creepy look, lady?" he asked, not trying to be polite.

That seemed to snap the girl out of her thoughts. She gasped in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry! Was it that creepy? I didn't mean-

"What's your name?" Gray asked her to get her to stop her profuse apology and rambling. It worked. The girl answered, "Hazel. In case you didn't know, I'm your client's daughter."

Gray made an O with his lips, before pursing them. Hazel tossed her long, brown hair over her shoulder and smiled at him widely. Too wide. "And I know all about you!" she exclaimed as she knelt to his level. "You're the hunk Gray Fullbuster from Fairy Tail. You're even more of a hottie in person, not to mention the fact that you strip is to boot!" 

"Uhhh...thanks..." Gray answered uncomfortably. How could she be so assertive? he thought as she continued rambling. Mid-rambling, the rain pouring outside began pounding over the roof even harder than before. "Hazel, dear, would you come help me for a moment?" Clarissa's voice came from the dining room. "Coming!" Hazel called back. She turned back to Gray and winked. "We'll talk later."

She left the bathroom.

Once she did...

Gray could've sworn...

That the rain above calmed down in the slightest.